Social services what can my friend expect!!

xmaslolly76

Ok very long story short

A friend of mine has 5 children she voluntrily put them inot foster care after a sexual assult incident involving her then husband and her oldest daughter who was 13 at the time. She was suffering with major depression and thought SS would help her out until she was back on her feet and she could get the kids back. She has since been fighting tooth and nail to get them back but ss wont budge and have wanted to put the children up for adoption even though friend is now fully over her depression and is in a loveing and stable relationship and has been for over 18 months ( the gentleman in question has children of his own whom are in his full time care and has passed all the SS checks). SS seem to have doug their heels in since all the national press over the two big child cases in recent years.

Today she has received communications from her solicitor letting her know that her youngest daughter whilst on holiday with her foster family has been sexually assaulted by the foster carers nephew. The girl is 7 and the boy is twelve. The girl reported the incedent immediately and the police have been brought in to deal with it. She is obviousley exceptionally worried about her daughter but is being faced by a total brick wall of silence by SS.

Has any one ever dealt with anything like this before can she demand the child be moved immediately to another care facility her parents are more than willing to have the child. My friend feels like just going over and taking the girl back which legally she can do but would in the long run put her in a much bigger mess than she is now.

I just dont know what to say to her except i am there for her when she needs me.

Anyway thank you for listening x

lolababy

Here is the family rights groups number. Its a free phone number 0808 801 0366.
Its a charity offering legal advice and help for parents or carers involved or who require social care services.

Ms_Chocaholic

To give us a better idea of the situation they are in, are the children in the voluntary care or are they subject to an Order of the Court?

When your friend asked SSD to take her children into care after her eldest child was sexually assaulted, what happened about your friend's relationship with her now ex-husband - did they continue with their relationship?

How long ago were the children placed in the care of SSD (months/years)?

Does your friend have regular contact with the children, telephone, face-to-face and is this supervised?

Sorry to ask so many questions but it just gives us a better idea of the situation so we can advise further.

xmaslolly76

They were in voluntray care and have been for just over two years

she hasnt spoken to her husband since she found out what he had done. He was sent down and she had an automatic divorce. He is not allowed at this point to see any of the kids. He has tried to conact her in many ways since his release but she wants nothing to do with him and has had to fight again to stop him from having any kind of contact with the kids as well.

She sees the kids every week in a centre as they are with different carers and SS bring them all together. She has unristricted access to the older two girls but is not allowed to go see the other 3 whilst with their careers she can conact them by phone and letter.

Hope that helps :-)